Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.26 AVERAGE
4.26 AVERAGE
adventurous
funny
tense
medium-paced
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
adventurous
fast-paced
I can’t explain what I went through. I just finished this book and want reread it!!! I AVOIDED this book because I’ve been burnt to a crisp by booktok. I waited months and eventually gave in to peer pressure (it’s real). I was HYPERcritical the whole time.
There was the “alright” I’ve seen this before in a story —> this is interesting —> classic MMC —> what the f***!!!
The plot, the characters, the development, just so good. I need more.
I will say the worst part of the book: the MMCs name is Kingfisher…there’s no sexy way to say that name in my head or OUT LOUD
There was the “alright” I’ve seen this before in a story —> this is interesting —> classic MMC —> what the f***!!!
The plot, the characters, the development, just so good. I need more.
I will say the worst part of the book: the MMCs name is Kingfisher…there’s no sexy way to say that name in my head or OUT LOUD
adventurous
challenging
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Just no. Didn't get the feeling. I didn't feel connected with the main character nor the plot. Book was too slow for my taste. Reading felt more of a chore than enjoyment.
- The main character was really annoying
- Very basic fantasy plot where things happen conveniently because anything can happen in fantasy
- No new interesting thoughts or new concepts or new worlds
- Very basic fantasy plot where things happen conveniently because anything can happen in fantasy
- No new interesting thoughts or new concepts or new worlds
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
3.5 ⭐️
#MixedFeelings
This book was a challenging one to get into, It wasn't until Saeris (FMC) entered the Fae realm near the 50% mark that the story finally started to grab my attention. The story, while entertaining, follows a familiar romantasy formula: a powerful Fae warrior is captivated by a human woman who defies expectations.
The primary weakness of the story lies with its female protagonist, Saeris Fane. She felt like a stereotypical and uninspired FMC, bratty and arrogant, which made it difficult to connect with her and understand some of her motivations. Anthony Palmini's masterful narration truly elevated the male characters, with his compelling portrayal of Kingfisher (MMC) and a variety of captivating accents for the male side characters. It was impressive enough that it made me want to explore his other works. Kingfisher was funny, dangerous, and a bit unhinged—a misguided hero on the brink of madness. His emotionally vulnerable moments were a highlight and made Saeris's parts of the story bearable. I also thoroughly enjoyed Carrion as a side character, who was arguably more interesting than the FMC.
This book presented a challenging mix of unique ideas and underdeveloped execution. While some of the world-building was truly creative, it felt diluted by an overabundance of popular romantasy tropes, which left certain plot devices feeling shallow and surface-level. The ending was also a bit abrupt and unsatisfying, though it did leave me intrigued enough to pick up the sequel.
Despite these issues, as a fan of the genre, I found myself enjoying this book far more than I expected.
Overall, this is a book that I both enjoyed and felt frustrated by. The strong male characters and compelling moments make it worth a read, but the familiar plot points, tropes and one dimentional female lead keep it from being a standout in the genre.
#MixedFeelings
This book was a challenging one to get into, It wasn't until Saeris (FMC) entered the Fae realm near the 50% mark that the story finally started to grab my attention. The story, while entertaining, follows a familiar romantasy formula: a powerful Fae warrior is captivated by a human woman who defies expectations.
The primary weakness of the story lies with its female protagonist, Saeris Fane. She felt like a stereotypical and uninspired FMC, bratty and arrogant, which made it difficult to connect with her and understand some of her motivations. Anthony Palmini's masterful narration truly elevated the male characters, with his compelling portrayal of Kingfisher (MMC) and a variety of captivating accents for the male side characters. It was impressive enough that it made me want to explore his other works. Kingfisher was funny, dangerous, and a bit unhinged—a misguided hero on the brink of madness. His emotionally vulnerable moments were a highlight and made Saeris's parts of the story bearable. I also thoroughly enjoyed Carrion as a side character, who was arguably more interesting than the FMC.
This book presented a challenging mix of unique ideas and underdeveloped execution. While some of the world-building was truly creative, it felt diluted by an overabundance of popular romantasy tropes, which left certain plot devices feeling shallow and surface-level. The ending was also a bit abrupt and unsatisfying, though it did leave me intrigued enough to pick up the sequel.
Despite these issues, as a fan of the genre, I found myself enjoying this book far more than I expected.
Overall, this is a book that I both enjoyed and felt frustrated by. The strong male characters and compelling moments make it worth a read, but the familiar plot points, tropes and one dimentional female lead keep it from being a standout in the genre.
🎧Audiobook
I’m rather late to the party with this read, but glad I finally got round to it! Only a short wait now for book two - as we are left on a cliffhanger.
When I started this book it all seemed too familiar a story, and it is…without having to squint too hard it’s an ACOTAR / Powerless / cliche romantasy mash up. Did I still read it all the way through? Yes. Was it still an enjoyable read? Also yes. It’s the “same story, different font” kinda deal.
It started a touch slow and then picked up without feeling rushed. Which is good cause the audio is just over 17 hours (if you keep it at 1x speed), and it felt like it flew by as the author kept the story moving. It had good bones and the story built well, connecting dots throughout and giving us snippets to fill in. And who doesn’t love a cute little companion to join the team, cause Onyx sounds adorable!
And I was happy when there was a bit of calling out the age gap that is so overlooked in all these fantasy books! It was a small thing, but something that just scratched an itch in my brain so well.
Overall a fun read/listen and looking forward to the next book!
I’m rather late to the party with this read, but glad I finally got round to it! Only a short wait now for book two - as we are left on a cliffhanger.
When I started this book it all seemed too familiar a story, and it is…without having to squint too hard it’s an ACOTAR / Powerless / cliche romantasy mash up. Did I still read it all the way through? Yes. Was it still an enjoyable read? Also yes. It’s the “same story, different font” kinda deal.
It started a touch slow and then picked up without feeling rushed. Which is good cause the audio is just over 17 hours (if you keep it at 1x speed), and it felt like it flew by as the author kept the story moving. It had good bones and the story built well, connecting dots throughout and giving us snippets to fill in. And who doesn’t love a cute little companion to join the team, cause Onyx sounds adorable!
And I was happy when there was a bit of calling out the age gap that is so overlooked in all these fantasy books! It was a small thing, but something that just scratched an itch in my brain so well.
Overall a fun read/listen and looking forward to the next book!
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
slow-paced